Footprints in the Sand
by sybelcomvelik
Summary: Inoue Orihime a kind hearted nurse transfers from Karakura General hospital to Weco Mundo Terminal Ward. There she sees the true imprints of life thirsting for existence. Except for one resident who wishes for nothing more than to wither away without a trace.
1. To Which I wonder, To which I Wander

Forgive me for the long author note. It will be one of the very few that will proceed the story.

Hey guys just wanted to say a few things before you take a read: While having a fair knowledge of health procedures used in hospitals, I am not a medical expert in any means. Also, for the sake of fiction some medical information and practices will not be accurate.

I am not the owner of Bleach just an avid fan like many of you. Also forgive me for any inaccuracies occurring in characterization, while have made effort to study all characters used I have not followed the series since the Fake Karakura Arc. So, If characterization has changed since then for some characters forgive me.

This is AU.

Thank you for bearing with the long author note and I hope you guys enjoy!

_**To Which I wonder? To which I wander?**_:

Muddled her vision swam. Eyes swampy fallen with crust of exertion lifted slowly allocating the blue and white space she suddenly existed in. She couldn't feel the shivers consuming her body just a blood thirsty heat. Thrumming, thumping along her veins. Heat like fire blazed her skin trickling up her body pulling her into consciousness.

"_Sweet heart! Ca.. hear me!"_ Muffles she couldn't interpret. _"I need... respond."_ The burn coursed further up her little form as the voices became louder and closer to reach. She muffled an aching fear curling into the heat that surrounded her. _"No..Kae...you...hand" _The unbearable heat prodded and poked at her malleable skin, snaking around her throat and pinching at heart until all she could do was scream.

"uhghrhh...grhh"

Firmly a blanketing coldness wrapped around her, black pulled her fading conscious, a prickling took a hold of her skin. _"Kaede If you can hear me squeeze my hand!" _

Softly the body littered with heat swelled down. Her fingers burning, gripping, clenching into cold peach hands squeezed as light surfaced into her shadowy eyes. Turning hair sticky and hot against neck she ghasped, the nauseating movements swinging by her. The only constant, glacial fingers firmly locked within her own.

Fluttering coal lashes squeezed together, tears building, eyes coming into focus.

"Kaede!" The woman smiled. The gurney halted for a few moments. "I am relieved you are awake." Propping her head down golden locks falling over her shoulder the woman bowed to the flustering child. For a moment their was safety, a moment of reprieve for the pounding heart of the tiny little girl.

And then she was gone. The orange dewy figure lost. Fear blossoming in her soul the little girl shouted. Quickly she was swiveled into a frothy white walled room. Heart pounding against her ribcage searching vigilant for an unfamiliar yellow warmth.

Within moments the faceless staff had the shivering girl removed from her gurney and transplanted to a coarse, uncomfortable hospital bed. Grumbling she shifted the rumbling sound of tapering paper trapped under her sweating wreathing form.

Gasping the child flailed. Arms refusing to cooperate with the nurse who was holding her down. A long silver needle posed above the red heated skin.

Scowling the nurse pinched harder pushing the needle against sweaty skin. A prickle of pain, a moment of fear, thrashing as the instrument pressed messily into her flesh. Surging deep into the child's arm she sputtered shook and cried out, kicking with all her might to fight the shadowy strangers who tried to detain her.

_Clitter clatter. _

The needle wriggled agitating tensed skin pushing out and falling to the hospital floor.

"Oh my! Kaede." In flew the sunset woman from before. She approached languid but without cautiousness. Warm and radiant her fingers smoothly cooled against the girls flush skin. Bending down with only her head and arms in view of the tiny girl on the bed Orihime gave a vibrant smile. Lips pulling against her skin into a blossom ray of sunshine. One that reminded little Kaede of the smiles her friends often gave her when they wished to play.

"Kaede do you believe in magic." Orihime asked running her fingers across the shivering child's nose to rid her of the snot.

Seconds past, the little girls deep chocolate eyes venturing to everything around the room. Finally, she wavered to look up the stunning smile not even a millimeter smaller than it had been before.

Sniffling with her knees crossed before her the girl stared imploringly, trustingly into her recipient. "I do," She sniffled.

How it was even possible would be hard for a child so young to explain but the brightness that engulfed the woman around her grew even more as she approached Kaede. "That's very good to hear, because I have a secret." With over exuberant sincerity Orihime Leaned down pushing the sweaty black hair of Kaede's behind her head. Cupping cold fingers gently against the clasp of an ear she began to whisper, "I am a fairy godmother sent to help you. With just a little fairy magic I can make you all better." Clapping her hands she smiled tentatively at Kaede.

"Magic?" Large jet eyes implored.

"Yep Magic," She clapped again, "Let me just get my fairy dust." Turning to the child as the other nurses worked around her. "Doctor Ishida has special fairy medicine that is going to make you super strong!" She spoke while fiddling through the cabinets.

Looking at the stiff doctor the child blinked disbelieving before turning back to Orihime. "He is a fairy too?" The little girl whispered loudly.

Kaede was dubious believe that the dour looking doctor smoothing out his non-existant wrinkles had even an inkling of magic in his bones.

Orihime attempted to smother her growing grin as the Doctor mumbled into his chest and wrapped his long finger around his blushing face.

The bed dipped. Leaning towards the child the red head sparkled. "Of course, but you must keep it secret or the magic won't work very well." Adamantly the little girl's head shook back and forward apologetic for her mistake.

"Now kaede." The voice sweet as milk called to her. "Hold my hand and I will say a magic spell and Doctor Ishida will give a magic fairy kiss."

Rubbing his face the doctor sputtered, "A kiss!" Orihime looked apologetically at her superior as she shrugged her shoulders. Quiet suddenly both professionals looked back to their tenant Orihime eyes alight in amusement.

On the hospital bed pillowed together like a salted pretzel a little girl flourished, her face maddening red as shook her head back and forward between her shoulders.

Eyes like stars the little girls head popped from between her uncurling arms. Voice quivering but precocious as she stared at Doctor Ishida unabashedly, "A kiss...kiss from a fairy prince!"

Shaken and flabbergasted the Doctor froze. "I-I'm not a fairy pr-"

"Yes, yes a fairy prince. So close your eyes. And on the count of three repeat after me." Eager it took Kaede a few moments to settle, and a few more moments for Doctor Ishida to prepare another intravenous drip for the young patient. "Alright, are you ready Kaede?"

The little girl hurumphed in response. Squeezing Orihme's hand in anticipation.

"_One let me be brave, let my pains melt away..."_

Kaede's fingers tickled nervously within Orihime's. Eyes clamping close in nervous anticipation, the cold kiss of the prince sat against shivering hands.

_Two help me through, fairy dust will heal your booboos..._

Quick with precision the needle struck. The girls fingers squeezing for only a moment before the lingering cold of the prince's fairy magic began to travel through her fingertips

_Three there see!_

Fluttering her eyes Kaede blushed as the coldness of the IV began to melt away into a warm lavish trill down her veins. The fluids quickly returning a calmer color to the girls skin. The tiny child smiled sweetly looking adoringly at her arm and back at her fairy godmother with praise and adoration.

Swiftly the girl reached toward the nurse sitting at her beside, squeezing below her large bosom recounting the pleasant thready sound of the nurses soft steady heartbeat.

With the warmness of a mother soothing peach fingers threaded through mink hair smoothing the sweaty tendrils of the small child curled around her.

The door closed quietly. Two pairs of eyes lingering just for a moment on the small child nursed within the blankets.

"Great Work Inoue-San." Uryuu Ishida, one of the physicians at Karakura hospital praised. Orihime smiled at the stiff doctor still adjusting to the stringent, prude, effective work ethic of her Superior and Senpai.

Repositioning herself from a clumsy bow Orihime reddened, fingers threading through her messy hair as she smiled. "Thank you for allowing me to accompany you today Doctor Ishida." With excitement her fingers threaded together wresting against her chest desperate to keep the loud bleating of her proud heart mumbled.

Uryuu laughed adjusting his lab coat. His hands cradled into his pocket coat in attempt to keep from reaching towards the ambient woman.

She walked ahead of him almost skipping in her happiness. Uryuu mused she probably would have if not for hospital protocol.

"_Down the rabbit hole goes Alice! Down with her I go!" _

Adjusting his tie Uryuu held back his laughter. A fondness radiating in his eye as the young nurse twirled down the children's ward humming her tune.

"_...into a wonder I've never known..." _

They had known each other for a few years now. Orihime a volunteer at Karakura hospital helping in the maternity ward when he was just a mere medical student. From the moment he saw her he was infatuated. Her alour, her sweet spirit and unadulterated love for everything enraptured him from the very first breath she spoke.

"_...To which I wonder? To which I wander?" _

Uryuu remembered the first time he spoke to her. The spur of her emotions had seized his heart.

How precarious for her to see new life and then watch it snatched away. On that day she cried more than the mother almost as if she were crying for the sorrow of the world. For hours she refused to move her head held in her hands, shuddering.

It was with that memory, that frame in time which caused Uryuu such trepidation.

She was spinning through the halls again her soft soprano voice filling the blue corridors like tinkling Christmas. "Inoue-San!"

"Ano...!" Crying out she tried to stop mid-spin. Catching her footing after a few stumbles she turned to the uniformed doctor. "Sorry!" Holding her warm hands over her wispy breathe she apologized. He only smiled in return before his eyes turn complacent and elderly as it often did when they communicated together.

Walking with a flustered step Inoue traveled to Uryuu's side. Doe eyes fluttered not knowing if reprimand would follow his recent appraisal.

"Are you really trying to Transfer to Weco Mundo Terminal Ward?" With the coldness of a pillar of snow his glacial blues grappled to sway her shaky resolution. "Inoue-san...in your best interest-"

"Ishida-san," Her clasped fingers falling onto her legs, "We've talked about this before."

For a moment nothing was said. Weary, a man stole of youth Uryuu leaned back against the wall. The fatigue of two twenty hour work shifts settling into his bones. His head didn't turn but his profile remained as resolute and cold as a Roman sculpture, "I'm very aware of that Inoue-san but your place is here."

He could see the wrinkling of her nose, but he couldn't tell it was out of ire or out of sorrow. For a moment the weight of his heart outweighed the weariness of his bones. His fingers caressed her chin, "Your the best aide I have and the children love you."

Sliding out his touch she bowed low. Her lashes brushing back the sting of her flighty emotions. "Thank you Ishida-san...but, I can't remain complacent here." Pulling tightly on her abdomen she righted herself. Standing tall and unmindful or her trembling she spoke, "There are so many things I need to learn and discover, but I just can't do it here. Please understand..."

He moved to touch her, with the passion of fire he couldn't help but be drawn in.

"Ahh...Inoue-San just the beautiful lady I was looking for!"

His fingers stopped short.

Turning Orihime gulped, going from the wolf into the lion's den. An expectant grin melded against the unusual mans face. Quickly the clog wearing man approached her. He preened her lilac Karakura nurse uniform before readjusting her lopsided metallic name tag.

Flustering she bowed repeatedly, "Director Uruhara!"

"No need to be so formal Inoue. I just wished to remind you that we need to speak before your shifts end."

"A'ah Of course Director."

He petted her head, his fingers lukewarm against her skull, "Don't worry the conversation is of little consequence." Cheshire in every way, juxtaposed a deadly grin on his lips, mirth within his eyes but a hardness upon his face. He swayed away back to the shadows of the corridors humming a melodious, lonely tune.

Crossing her feet, squeezing her palms Orihime stared down at the white flannel floors hoping something would slither from the tile and give her a sense of belonging. Her voice was low and soft, curtly against the buzzing of swinging doors and loud footsteps. "Excuse me Doctor Ishida I should probably head back to the staff room and make my report."

Not once as she dipped through the long blistering walls did her hanging head raise.

Feet scuffling she stepped through the threshold of the break room holding tight to her composure. Fingers posed against a lonely chair she fumbled into the seat. Cold seeped through her scrubs, heat watery seeped down her eyes. Shaking and alone she sat in the chair, ostracized by her own morale. A child in a dunce chair she pitifully tried to strengthen her resolve and stand by her decision. Empty as the small break room her heart trembled, confused.

_It's the smell of death that creeps into your skin. Prickling, puckering, languid, its encroach is a slow poison._

"Orihime!" The girl swallowed, focusing on reeling in her emotions. She approached the desk guided by chocolate hands. Fingers pushed her into the seat. A dangling black tail slipped below her chin.

_They say everyone who has ever ventured into the terminal ward is cursed for death. Not a breathe has escaped the place unscathed._

Empty luminous yellow eyes stirred into her soul. The creature almost self righteous as it flopped before elongating itself against the table. On the other side with just as much languish sat his assistant Yuruichi.

She didn't focus on the woman too long. the radiating stinging of her soul reminding her that he was still speaking." ...Your intentions are strong but your resolve is weak. You are too soft Inoue. I denied your transfer previously, I am not in the position to do it again. On your own violation you may take Aizen Sosuke's proposal. But my own personal opinion is set. I disapprove of it."

_Only a creature soulless could repeal the stench, fight the vultures, retreat from that place. _

She stared much longer than she spoke. Scrapping up every bit of fragile resolve she had. Shutting out the tinkering of the assistant next to him, the wishful purring of the large black cat fanning itself on his desk, and the thump, thump, thumping of heart. She finally spoke.

_It's a prison, a poisonous pit, a convenient crypt for the damned._

For just a moment his impenetrable smile lessened, his fingers loosened and shoulders slumped. A shudder fumbled up her shoulders. "I want to transfer."

_Surly, and cruel its only a place for wild creatures to frequent._

"Very well then."


	2. Welcome to hell

_Click..click..clack. _Their feet scuffled through the hallways. Orihime walked a few paces behind him, holding her new identification badge and a few pristine manilla folders in her folded arms. Every few steps, she would shuffle the crinkled forms between her arms, pressing them close to her breast as she passed by each open door way.

As much as she tried she couldn't deny it. Death's stench crawled from every open door, seeping like an otherworldly presence into the hallway. Holding her arms closer she couldn't dare dream what it might appear in the shadows of the night. How easy a roaming patient could transform into an angel of death in the eerie darkness.

Walking without presence she soon collided into a cold rod-like object. An open door. Peering in again the waif smell of mothballs invaded her nostrils. At least a slightly more pleasant smell then the sickening scent of a stagnant body. She would adjust she told herself. Baring her shoulders she quickened her pace catching up to her guide as he finished explaining the history of the building and its many reconstructions.

Her "chauffeur_" _as the director had coyly explained him was talking about something or other. The information was probably imperative but, for the life of her she couldn't begin to make out what he was saying.She didn't like his voice, snaking up her spine it summoned deep chills from the pit of her stomach. No, more than dislike she couldn't bare the playful coldness that captured his every word. Shaking her head she forced herself to engage and listen.

Not for the first time she was staring at him. He was a gangly man at best, although it was difficult to tell with the large lab coat he wore. A Doctor he corrected when they had left the office although not minding being called her personal chauffeur. After all he admitted at the summit of their tour, aiding such a lovely girl was pleasant. She squirmed at the memory. Everything about him off-kilter, from his crooked walk to his crooked smile.

From the looks of his slanted grinning eyes he seemed more than aware how off putting his entire being was. Suddenly a scare crow grin ignited his face his previous words stopping mid sentence.

Pinching her files closer together Orihime reasoned that he was looking for some sort or acknowledgment. Squeaking her eyes settled on his lanky frame, "Ah...Yes Ichimaru-san?"

Chuckling under his breathe he looked at the little babe, a fragile little flower, curious how long it would take before she wilted to the stress and sadness of her job. Pressing his large hand beside her head, the smoldering of his stoic blue eyes appeared slightly from his dark lashes. Unlike his friendly voice they held no amusement, "Do I'a make you uncomfortable Miss-a Hime?" Removing his hand he gestured at the hallway, "Does this place make ya feel uncomfortable?" She shuttered and it delighted him to see such fresh prey.

For a long time she did not answer. The words bubbling inside but refusing to come out. Was she afraid? Did she fear the absoluteness tainting this place? What reason did she have to come here then? Tightening her hands on her heart, her chest felt heavy. Something cold pinching into her skin. She looked down and found comfort.

Tugging at her name tag, she stared longingly at the words written: ORIHIME INOUE REGISTERED NURSE, quickly placid lukewarm eyes ignited with wobbly passion. Her nose wrinkled the only outsourced display of her disagreement. "No I'm glad to be hear." Like a fledgling her voice was quivering at first nervous but, quickly as if sensing her own strength it grew stern, confident, "I'm nervous. But, not because I'm afraid or uncomfortable, but because I have an opportunity to grow. I want to learn something on this expedition." Rotating her ID card through her hand she whispered, "I don't want fear death, I want to understand it."

Pushing the snowy white hair from his face, his lashes closed. Petting her silky tresses, "That's jus' what I wanted t'here."

–

Walking with the grace of of drunken sailor her feet slumped across the pristine floors. Everything, from the tile, to the ceilings, to the wall were colored in an off putting white as if the absence of color could completely dilute the whole unit of personality. Leaning down against the pasty white wall she rotated her feet feeling the nerve endings send painful tendrils up her muscles. Today would mark the end of her first week.

Only finishing a six day shift, her whole body was aching. She was working, over-over time. Putting in more hours in the last few days then she had worked in a month's time at Karakura General Hospital. So far she hadn't have to come during the dreaded midnight, graveyard shift. Still technically in training she was supposed to work from 5am-3pm although due to the tight staff she often stayed till seven or eight at night.

Curling her toes once more she tried to loosen the pinching cramp surfing through the bottom of her arch. An irritable huff escaped her mouth as the muscle refused to loosen. She wondered what the other medical staff did to rid themselves of the achy soreness from the long hours. Probably quit she reasoned.

The Weco Mundo Terminal Ward seemed to loose their medical staff at the same astounding rate that they loss sickly, hospice patients. In the break room which she rarely frequented anymore she would hear of another shadow who had either requested leave, refused to show up, or was handed termination.

To her the amount of help loss was ridiculous. She couldn't get use to the wild solitary way in which all the practitioners and nurses functioned. There was no talking of this or that technician seen flirting in the halls, no last calls to gather outside and choose a place to grab late night dinners, no pillars of support, no friends. It was lonely.

She wish she call Tatsuki, but she didn't want to burst the dam she had been holding in for the last few days.

Only a few days prior she had seen her first hands of death in the Terminal Ward. Mentally she had prepared herself for the shock, but the moment of the patients last breathe was uttered faster than her heart could decipher. Afterward holding the mans limp hand a gaping blackness invaded her chest. Sitting outside at the bus stop that night, soaked to the bone, tears undecipherable from the weather she wondered if this heavy heart was something all of the practitioners suffered from.

Meloncholic she approached his door, unlike majority of the patients he had been in the terminal ward for quite some time. He was an exemplary display of the few who lived beyond the weeks and months predicted of them. Because of that resilience he had been moved a few years before to room 101.

Staying in the terminal ward for so long he had collected a number of nick-knacks and homey items to make the blank white slate of his hospital room bearable. Much like his unusual personality of everything in his space was strange and mismatched.

Orihime had grown attach to him at their first meeting, his surname was Ishida, although he had no relation to Ishida Uyruu her recent supervisor. A conversation that had lasted well past the few minutes she was issued in order to note his vitals. Ishida-Senior as she remarked him secretly in her head was a doting and kind older man. Always talking about the strangest things. Most of all he liked to hold her hand whenever, he reminisced about the past. He refused to lie about his weakness for pretty young women, _"When your as old as I am. Have been cooped up for as long as I, you find joy in in the most simple ways. So while I'm old and senile let me enjoy the company of a beautiful young lady." _Everyday he would say the same things. Such a charming man, she wish she could have known him longer.

Tears threatened to fall, callously she swiped at her face. Holding in her wretches she swallowed each burning cry. Muffling the sound she tried to focus on her feet. She had to be strong. Ishida-san had asked her specifically not to cry for an old cook like him, when it came time for him to go. As if he knew he didn't have much time he began to tell her about every little item he owned and how each was so precious.

Lately the young red head had started staying after shift to help clear Ishida-Sans belonging from the room. Over the last two days the room was slowly becoming more empty and cold. The cleanup crew still had at least another day before the room would be sterilized and presentable to the next patient. Steeling her dread she prayed for the best. Hopefully his replacement would be just as kindly.

Much like her he didn't have much family left, for now she held onto his things his great-grandchildren refused to claim. On the inside of her pocket she kept a silly little trinket. A tiny silver arrow head he kept in a bucket of other silly things. When she had pulled it out the day before he died, his eyes looked so young and hopeful.

Touching her chest pocket she could feel the curve of the arrow press back against her hand. Arching her spine she relaxed into the popping sensation trudging across her back. Settling back onto her feet she walked up to room 101.

Unusual, the large plated door was closed. Most of the doors remained open unless an attending practitioner or doctor was running rounds. Holding her gasp she realized the room had been cleared a head of time. Hopefully, the few things she hadn't picked up the night before had been saved and given to his family.

From the other side she could hear a soft whirring hum of machines. Pushing her ear to the frame she inched closer, catching the strong smell of antiseptic burn her nose.

Flailing, the door suddenly burst open. Looking at her fellow nurses she squeaked. "Ano...sorry" Uniformed purple eyes glowered at her.

"Ah...Princess." Spit the more talkative of the two nurses. Shuffling her papers she looked towards her companion smirking at the violet twin eye that glanced back at her. " Isn't about time they got this room some good use?"

Sooty brown eyebrows quirking the other girl agreed, "Of course Loly."

Pushing her cart forward the pigtail woman cackled, "Glad to be rid of the doddering, senile old bat. I mean this kids a brat, but at least she doesn't just yammer and yammer on." Resting her arms on the silver cart she leaned forward, head tilting to the point her long sable hair fell across her shoulders and into the various, bottles and nodes on the tray.

Pressing her hands together till the materials of her scrubs scratched against each other Melony agreed, "Yeah annoying old bugger." She whispered staring at the ground.

Pinching her fingers large silver eyes glanced at the cold nurse, "Ah... Loly?"

Glaring, "What. Get on with it!" She quipped. Still lazed against the trolly.

"About Ishida-Sans things..." her fingers pointed at the close room.

Waving her hand, the girl snorted. "Oh that crap. Incinerated."

As if to cool her friends hot quip the ash haired woman added, "It's Just policy Inoue." Looking towards the dark glare her shoulders shook before glancing back at the quivering eyelids of the new nurse. "When no one claims the deceases personal items, they are removed and discarded."

Feeling the weight of the arrow piercing her skin she mumbled, "I understand."

Raising her lithe form, the trolly screeching at the release of her weight, a cowl grin appearing on the woman's cherry red lips, "Hmph.." Looking at the quiet red head before her, "I guess some other time Princess." Pressing forward the two disappeared down the Topsy-turvy halls.

Closing her eyes she reigned in the hot coals of anger lapping at her insides. Fiddling with her sleeves she saddened at the prospect that there were so many more people in this ward that she didn't particularly like compared to Karakura where she had never thought an ill thought about any of her comrades.

–

Refreshed from her two day weekend. Orihime checked her files, filtering through the slightly smaller pile than all the other more seeded nurses she studied her folder. _101\. _Her third room of the day. Taking a pen out she scribbled a note to herself. Today she wouldn't just run diagnostics or check vitals. Instead she would have to take notes in place of the practitioner and administer medicine to the patient.

Studying her sheet, her heart leaped. Death was more unfriendly to some more than others. How cruel for a child who has barely lived to suffer through debilitating sickness. She read the file one more time, Lilynette Gingerbuck, eleven years old.

–

Closing the door the wonderful smell of flowers invaded her nostrils. From what little she had seen of the mysterious woman Orihime could gather that she was likable. Inside her lovely abode were always numerous flowers, so much life. Everyday she walked in she could account for another visitor for the beautiful woman. Many times they would come in a group of three bustling through the hallways as if sickness was some fanciful old-wives tale. They were a rambunctious group, if Orihime wasn't telling them to settle down, her ward was.

Going through her list. She double checked, making sure Harribel-San's vitals were all in good condition. As she did every time she visited the room of gardens she hummed a pleasant tune. On to room 102.

–

A grimace tore through her throat. What a heavy handed man. He didn't like her that for sure was obvious, but unsurprising since he seemed to hate everyone and everything. Closing his door she felt more than heard the sound of a watery vase collide with the wall.

Today she lasted two minutes longer than yesterday in the retired

Directors presence, for once glad Ichimaru still accompanied her to care for Barragan Louisenbairn.

–

Her pace was leisure as if dreading her destination. On this floor every room was spread far and wide apart, almost taking up a whole corridor each. At first she thought this private estates due to their grandness, but found them to be a sickening game of promotions for the ill who remained here the longest or had the most gruesome of disease. She had heard Cirucci another nurse, just the other day mention how they were the privileged few who kept escaping death time and time again.

For the guest she would be visiting the child had been in and out of the Weco Mundo terminal ward for six years. Each time she would make something close to a recovery a debilitating tumor, a back-fired surgery would have her returning for longer periods of time.

Holding her breathe she approached room 101. Like a child she scuffled her shoes against the floor trying to delay the inevitable. "Stop being so childish, Orihime." She reasoned with herself.

_Brrauzaum! _A clang like wall connecting with flesh grated against Orihime's ear. Fear etching, she pried the door open startled by the resounding slam of it closing behind her. Gasping her fingers clung to her cheek.

If she was expecting a coddled, soft spoken girl she did not get it. Brazen, daringly dangling from the window a teal green head bobbed. Catching the sounds of movement. The young girl whipped around, her yellow parlor the only indication that she may be sick. Sitting against the windowsill, each hand curved on the frame, she leaned back so far her legs kicked up beneath her. A feral animal she growled,"What do you want lady?"

Orihime didn't answer to gobsmaked with the perils of her situation. A very, very sick little girl was hanging out of a multistory window held only by the spur of the wind and her shaking feet.

Spitting out the window she grinned. Standing up till her head brushed the very top ledge. "I'm the king of the world!" Shouting at the top of her lungs Lilynette Gingerbuck pushed herself fully through the window frame. The strong weather tousling her minty hair wildly into her eyes. Collecting some wildness she soured her expression still combating the heavy winds pushing inside. "How far down is this?" She questioned sickly. "Tell me now!"

Closing the main door, Orihime ran towards the child. Her fingers brushing against her wet slimy skin. She tried not to pull fearful that the girl would tumble and fall. "Please get down Gingerbuck-san!" Kicking at the red head the young girl scowled.

Feral, beast like the girl cried out, "Don't touch me!" The roaring of the wind behind her amplifying her call. Stomping down the shake of the window vibrated through the sole of her bare feet. Again she stomped, followed by a third and fourth time until her little feet could do no more damage. Tired, she slumped down all the energy leaving her body. "Don't tell me what to do. Lady."

Seeing the child, semi-pacified. Orihime stepped forward again. "I said I'm willing to jump, don't taunt me."

_Taunt not tease, _Orihime thought studying the heaving child. She put her elbows against the sill a shiver from the droplets outside splashing against her skin. "Hey stupid-"

"We're seven stories up." Orihime responded, her eyelids close as her orange fly aways began to stick to her cheek. Listening to the heavy labored breathes coming from the child she spoke gently, "I'm Orihime Inoue by the way." As much as the child tried to hid it Orhime could see her ears perk up.

Unfolding her feet the girl kicked at the wall below her before grumbling, "I never asked."

Pushing off her elbows Orihime leaned through the open space, the sprinkles of rain dotting her peach skin. "It feels really nice outside doesn't it. It's not so stuffy in here anymore."

Softly under her breathe the girl huffed in agreement. Her red cheeks turned to the side. Pressing her nose into her cotton shirt she shrieked from her shirt, "It smells like an old grandma's house in here! I hate it." Slowly her large owl eyes focused on the nurse staring out of the window.

Wistfully the older woman sighed, "I wish I knew what an old grandma's house smelled like." She half-joked.

Crinkling her nose Lilynette shuttered leaning into the nurses space, "it smells really bad. Like week old bread and dust bunnies."

Patting the windowsill Orihime turned to the young lady taking in the way her lips forced themselves into a frown. Protocol required all the windows to be latched and locked. Their design to be for appearances, to let some light in rather than actually be opened. The only reason she could imagine for the mistake was one of the handymen forgetting to lock it up after sterilizing the frame. "Maybe we can leave the window open for just a little bit longer while we do some exercises. How about it?" Putting her hand out she reasoned with the mint hair child.

Untrusting she stared at her dirtied feet, they bruised and battered from all the ruckus she had formed. Finally, realizing the red frizz-ball wasn't going to move anytime soon she looked up. For many long seconds the girl stared between the offending hand and the woman hoisted to it.

She didn't take the hand rather instead, she made sure to brush past it hard. After reaching her she did turn around, "Let's keep it open a little longer." Lilynette demanded. Sitting on her mattress she added, "But, just let me be the one to close it."

Reaching the child she nodded, "Of course," beginning her test procedures. The eventfulness of the day began to lull as Orihime asked the little girl questions and the child responded as caustic and sarcastic as she could muster. By the end of her visit the little girl was half asleep and half as cruel as before.

"Hey lady?" Orihime looked up, "What does peanut butter taste like? It's just I never tasted it and all so I'm kind of...yawn...curious." She giggled pushing the girls fringe from her face. Lilynette turned her face into her pillow,cheeks turning red. Quickly she reached out rearranging her hair into an acceptable birds nest. "Uhmm...Nevermind! It was a dumb question anyway!"

"The next time I come back I'll tell you, alright?"

Turning back to the radiant woman she waved her off, "yeah, yeah. Sure, sure."

–

Her stay in room 101. Was longer than she predicted, probably close to the same time she had spent with Ishida-San Senior. Keeping the door propped just slightly to signal the end of the rounds for the day Orihime took one more glance inside. The soft sleeping face of a young girl. She would know the answer to that question the next time they meet, and the answer to any questions the little girl had on her mind.

Shuffling through her folder she realizes she missed an attachment, behind Lilynettes large case file was a small attachment. It wouldn't require much out of her, just an analysis of a few machines. Looking at the top right she found the name of the patient. Frowning at the complected spelling. Closing her folder she sauntered down the hallway rolling the unusual name on her tongue.

Ulquiorra Sciffer, Room 104.


	3. Eternal

Light breathing reached her ears first. Then the loud popping and tumbling of devices working their hardest.

Propping the heavy brown door open with her white gnarled slippers she peaked inside, fearful of what cataclysmic personality may erupt from the other side. After days of picture frames and pottery turning into flying projectiles Orihime had hesitations in entering any new rooms. One solid book to the head was enough to learn her lesson.

Preparing herself the skittish nurse put up her best fighting stance. Quickly, she glued her arms together forming a protective layer in front of her face, taking in consideration that Cirucci's suggestion of elbow pads wasn't such a silly quip after all.

Seconds past. Eternal silence.

No sudden rush of air zooming past her form, no screaming or snarling, finally she let down her guard.

Fanning her head from side to side one last time she gathered no foreseeable threat and scurried in.

Mousy, she entered, then existed just as quickly realizing she had placed a rather usable shield-like object down before entering. Grabbing her papers and clipboard she scurried in again, catching the squawking door with her foot and forcing it to close as slowly and softly as possible. After hearing the tell-tale click of the lock repositioning itself back into the wall, she moved from the door and into the center of the room.

Looking around she didn't know where to start, or where exactly to find her patient. He must be sleeping, she reasoned. Choosing to invade the gang of machinery circulating around a small lumpy form on a slightly bigger square bed.

Orihime began to check the outer machines first. Making sure they looked to be in some sort of working order. Moving about as if she were in a field full of snakes she made, small hesitant steps, pulling every appendage as close to her body as possible in fear she may nudge over an important machine.

Pressing the clipboard close to the hem of her buttoned blouse she traveled the large room, the cold curving metal clamp of the clipboard squishing uncomfortably into her chest. Papers attached to the wooden board crumpled against her body, the loud ruffling sound causing her to squeak at her mess. Quickly she sat her papers down, minding the devices of course, trying in vain to smooth out the wrinkles and crinkles that formed on her work sheets.

Methodically, pressing her elbows down into the desk she pushed her hands hard and slow against the forms smoothing out all the little kinks to the best of her ability. Finally contented with a semi-passable look, she reattached them to her clipboard and made the best decision of putting the clipboard down and as far away from her paper wrinkling body as possible. If anything she would just commute from bedside to board while checking diagnostics rather than try her hand at inevitable failure of a balancing act.

Hovering over the sheets she recounted her needed responsibilities for her unusually quiet patient. Walking back to her chart Orihime reasoned that it would only take a few minutes at the most to accomplish her objective, and then from there she could finally sit down for the day and work on her under-appreciated lunch.

A grumble formed from her pink lips, it was already five in the afternoon and she hadn't had a morsel. _Fried rice dotted with skittles and pulled pork, Hmm..mmm. _She couldn't wait.Her stomach grumbled in agreement, folding her hands over her noisy tummy she blushed hoping her patient hadn't heard that mountain of a rumble.

Face painted red she turned finally searching out for her undetected occupant. "Schiffer-san," She whispered lowly, approaching the tiny bed space. "Schiffer-san." Again she spoke, flustered and squeaky.

A body lay there, prostrate and breathing. Mummified, the sterile white blankets itchy to the skin trapped his lithe form under the covers. Prone like a corpse he slept. Lanky arms spread starfish style and bony legs tangled together under the thin sheets.

Doe brown eyes caressed his cold unmoving form. Shudders escaped him, causing the young nurse to shudder and shake as well. She feared touching him, worried that such a frail body would fail to contamination.

Bowing her head She swallowed, pressing down the clenching sensation of her throat. Such a pitiful little creature.

He was so unbearably thin. The force of his light breathing causing the bones of his sternum to raise viciously against his ghostly skin outlining each skeletal piece. White fingers lay languid and curled against the thin covers unaffected by the ragged shuttering his upper body would spew with every wilting breathe. Faint blue fluid coated the origin of his fingernails, each digit trembling from time to time to restart the stalling blood flow.

Machines burbled and churned, pushing warm red liquid to and from his withered body. All around him sat a myriad of technical tools, strapped and intertwined around his naked chest. Tubing inter-crossed around his body, clamps dismally attached against his forefingers. Piping circulated through his nose, causing a whistle sound to appear with each inhale, the long thin tubes ending around his damp overgrown hair.

Bare his skin gleamed, bone white threatening to be even more lifeless and uncolored as the colorless walls around them. One section of his dark blue hospital gown was fumbled off his shoulders, giving way to large black and blue bruises. Some just purple globs against his skin, while others fresher outlined large hand prints. So pliable and frail his gossamer skin, the welts and indentations made by hands of technicians simply moving him back and forward. Circulating the blood through his body day after day.

_How long had he slept, immobile and unknowing of the tole his body was taking, _The nurse wondered. _How long since machines had defined the thin thread in which he may live or die?_ Never, not even in her worse cases at Karakura general Hospital had she seen a human need so much sustainability from machines. She had heard of those who keep their loved ones clinging to life, and wondered if he was one of them. Looking around the room, at the lack of existence she sadly guessed not. There was nothing, no clothes, no pictures or memoirs. Just blank empty space.

Studying his skin she looked for any more malformations. Signs of clotting, or distress.

Sadly, his bones protruded, gaunt, showing of what little muscle he had still retained. His disease was aggressive she imagined. Enough to cause a young man of his age to appear so feeble. Her fingers itched to touch him, feel his dewy skin, see if life flowed through his veins.

She remembered caressing the infants how hot and full of life their squirming, wreathing crying bodies were. Was his touch warm as well? Was he also fighting to live, or was he merely existing?

Instead Orihime placed her hands on the railings which were helping to imprison him to the bed. Her fingers absorbing the frigid coldness of the smooth metal. A withering sigh escaped her throat as if she were the one immobile.

_Schiffer-san, he must be in a lot of pain. _Her blushing fingers trembled matching the treble in which her ward's body hummed. _Poor unfortunate soul indeed. _Days he slept, body too weak too congealed in pain and lethargy to even begin to move. Every shuttering breathe extolled a heavy price, burdening his weak addled body.

His face had just a touch more color than the rest of his body. Flared, bleating with each pump of blood the sleeping man's veins pulsed. Thinly and green the large blood vessels glowed against his milk white skin. Up from his arms, down to his nude shoulders the veins protruded, gangly and large. Spider-like the capillaries split threading like water across his bony neck vanishing into thin gray lines at the base of his jaw. The skin here was more fleshy, and not as sallow and deathly.

Smiling sadly she furrowed her eyebrows entertained at his own. They sat close to his eyelids, making him frown in his sleep. Like the large furry caterpillars she use to capture as a child they squiggled and twitched with the flickering of his eyelid. Black lashes long, wet with crust rubbed against his high cheeks, lips blackened pressed thinly together, causing his sallow cheeks to squish down against his frown.

_Asleep_, maybe its better, she thinks, to simply sleep through turmoil.

Flipping her analysis close, she gathers all her supplies. The lights are dim, no windows to tell the passage of time. There is nothing at all in the room, besides one sleeping man hoisted together by a plethora of buzzing and rumbling machines.

She doesn't want to imagine the sadness that lingers on his dreams. The furrow of his brows, and whittling of his lips tell her he isn't dreaming of rainbows and butterscotch rivers.

Spurred by something, she can't help but turn around. Maybe the low cadence of the burbling machine has caught her attention. Nails supple, but strong rake through his long mane. Her chest quivers at the way the heart monitor almost skips a beat as it recites the staccato rhythm of his damaged heart.

Frigid cold, the same sensation as being submerged in an icy basin. Against her best intentions her fingers roam the uncovered part of his head, massaging the tense muscle of his brow bones. Wetness tingles her soft fingertips, as the padding of her fingers makes slow methodical circles across his pale face.

Picking her hand up, escaping the coldness, she inspects her fingers. Opalescent and warm a dewdrop balances. A gasp escapes, the balmy air of the room hitting the inside of her nose uncomfortably. Slowly the droplet swoons, slipping from the precipice of her finger; flickering down into a splash upon the floor.

_Tears. _


End file.
